1 . The best science books inspire a sense of wonder and make you amazed at the incredible world we live in. Here are four of them to feed your imagination.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
How did it all begin? And how did we get here? Combining history and science, the book offers a comprehensive yet entertaining answer to these questions. Bill Bryson takes the reader on an impressive journey through the greatest scientific discoveries in history. It explains scientific topics in a vivid way, but it’s quite a long read.
Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe
How do helicopters work? Or cells? Randall Munroe explains how things work using illustrations and only the most common 1,000 words in English. It will shift your approach to explanation. So, next time explain how something works rather than merely call it by its name. However, additionally providing more technical terms might have enhanced the understanding and learning experience.
Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake
What does it feel like to fly into space? How do you prepare for it? Astronaut Tim Peake answers all the questions you never knew about going into space. The book gives insights into the cutting-edge science, as well as the day-to-day life on board of the International Space Station. Its question and answer format makes it easy to quickly find answers, but it can become less appealing due to the lack of descriptive language.
Deep Time by Riley Black
Want to know the story of our planet? Riley Black takes us on a journey, in the order of time, through the geological (地质的) events that have shaped our planet. The fascinating high-quality images are supported by easily digestible explanations of key historical moments. It also expands on key concepts in geology, astronomy and biology. Yet, measuring the size of some objects on the photos is difficult due to the lack of a scale bar (比例尺).
1. Which book is organized in the format of question and answer?| A．A Short History of Nearly Everything. | B．Thing Explainer. |
| C．Ask an Astronaut. | D．Deep Time. |
| A．It is rather too long. | B．It is written in plain language. |
| C．It lacks technical terms. | D．It fails to include clear images. |
| A．They combine science and history. | B．They feature vivid illustrations. |
| C．They introduce astronauts’ daily life. | D．They entertain readers of all ages. |
2 . Monet: The Immersive (沉浸式) Experience
Monet: The Immersive Experience in Liège invites you to step into the world of the French painter Claude Monet, one of the greatest artistic geniuses of the nineteenth century!
Explore some of the most breathtaking paintings by Claude Monet with the help of a digital 360-degree presentation. The unique exhibition concept is staged with state-of-the-art multimedia technology, which shows very large images of Monet’s paintings on the walls and floors of the building. It has music, the smell of flowers, and voice-over in several languages to make the paintings come alive in a way never seen before.
To fully get into the world of the French painter, visitors are guided through three experience rooms. Each room is a highlight on its own and provides visitors not only with an insight, but also with new experiences and new viewpoints on Monet’s life, his work and his masterpieces.
Practical info·Date: from March 2024
·Opening hours:
Wednesday, Thursday: 10: 00 am-7: 00 pm
Friday: 10: 00 am-8: 00 pm
Saturday: 9: 00 am-8: 00 pm
Sunday: 9: 00 am-7: 00 pm
Monday and Tuesday: Closed
·Duration: the visit will take around 60 to 75 minutes
·Location: Eglise Saint-Pholien, Rue Saint-Pholien, 4020 Liège
·Please consult the FAQs of this experience here
1. How does the exhibition help visitors explore Monet’s paintings?| A．It uses digital technology. | B．It gives lectures on art. |
| C．It offers stages to visitors. | D．It provides language services. |
| A．An exploration on French art. | B．An introductory tour of painters. |
| C．A unique journey to Monet’s world. | D．An encounter with Monet-inspired artworks. |
| A．11: 30 am (Wed, Feb 21). | B．10: 00 am (Tue, Mar 19). |
| C．6: 30 pm (Thur, Mar 28). | D．4: 00 pm (Sun, Apr 7). |
3 . Louis Pasteur once said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” That’s the truth behind the following inventions — the scientists were prepared and were able to see the magic in a mistake.
MauveIn 1856, William Perkin was trying to come up with an artificial medicine, but his experiments produced a thick mess. But the more Perkin looked at it, the more he saw a beautiful color in his mess. Turns out he had made mauve, the first-ever synthetic dye (合成染料), which was far better than any natural dyes: the color was brighter, clearer, and didn’t fade or wash out.
SuperglueThis super-sticky substance was discovered by accident — twice! Chemist Harry Coover had been attempting to make clear plastic gun sights, and in 1942 one method he tested produced an extremely quick bonding adhesive (黏合剂). It was useless for his gun sights, though, and he forgot about it until almost ten years later, when he came across it again while developing heat-resistant parts for airplanes. This time he realised its potential, and the product was put on the market.
PlasticIn 1907, shellac (虫胶) was used in electronics. It was costly, so American chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland tried to produce an alternative. Instead, his experiments produced a material that could take high temperatures. He later developed it into plastic, and it was soon used in the production of almost everything.
TeflonBack in the 1930s, Young DuPont chemist Roy Plunkett was working to make a new kind of CFC for refrigeration. After storing the gas in certain containers, he opened one to discover that it had changed into a white powder that was extremely sticky and had a very high melting point. Three years later, the substance, which was named Teflon, was patented.
1. Which invention came out earliest?| A．Mauve. | B．Superglue. | C．Plastic. | D．Teflon. |
| A．William Perkin. | B．Harry Coover. | C．Leo Hendrik. | D．Roy Plunkett. |
| A．They were made by accident. | B．They could take high temperatures. |
| C．They received no recognition at first. | D．They could be used in medical fields. |
4 . Young Composers’ Competition Information & Registration (注册)
The competition will include two divisions, one for middle school students in grades 6-8, and the other for high school students in grades 9-12 (graduating June 2021).
Finalists will be invited to attend an interview and comment session to be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center in February, 2021. In addition, the winning composers (作曲家) will be announced at that time and awards will be presented. All other participating student composers are welcome to attend. The exact time and location will be announced in January 2021. The deadline for online application submissions (提交) is December 1, 2020.
Categories (类别) for Submission
Composers may submit works in the following categories. All works must be 100% original. Compositions may include combinations of instrumental and vocal parts:
● Solo Player (include piano)
● Small Instrumental/Vocal Ensemble (2-10 parts/performers)
● Large Instrumental/Vocal Ensemble (11 or more parts/performers)
Competition Guidelines
● Students may submit multiple selections in each category. However, a $20 application fee is required with each selection. Each entry must have a separate completed application form and entry fee in order to be considered for eligibility (参赛资格).
● Students must include brief program notes that include the title of the composition with the composer’s name omitted (省略), describing the composer’s inspiration for the work.
● Submissions must be no longer than 7 minutes in length.
● Neatness counts! An excellent piece will lose credits if the score shows careless errors.
1. What will take place at the Atlantic City Convention Center?| A．The announcement of finalists. | B．The judgment on entries. |
| C．A composition concert. | D．An awards event. |
| A．A score with careless errors. |
| B．A 7-minute-long submission. |
| C．An entry without the composer’s name. |
| D．A known piece of music adapted for piano. |
| A．$10. | B．$20. | C．$40. | D．$60. |
5 . Wine and beaches, fireworks and music... our readers recommend some fantastic festivals.
Festa delTUva e del Vino, Italy
Set on the beautiful shores of Lake Garda, this grapes and wine festival takes over the small town of Bardolino for four days every October. With local wines, food, art projections, fireworks and live music. people come from miles around to celebrate. First and foremost，it’s about great wine，but it’s worth visiting to soak up the great atmosphere.
Free，1-5 October
Quest festival, Vietnam
This is a weekend camping festival held just a 40-minute drive from Hanoi, bringing together locals and visitors in a celebration of underground live and electronic music culture. Held in the beautiful Son Tinh campsite, there are usually about 30 local and international DJs and 10 bands. There are also workshops, pop-up cafes, fire performances, dancing and much more.
Weekend tickets about £25, 6-8 November
Estiv al Switzerland
This is a free festival of jazz which takes place in the first weekend in July in the pretty squares and lakeside beaches and parks around the southern Swiss town of Lugano. The palm trees and summer air to see some of Europe’s up and coming jazz bands and enjoy Swiss
Free, every July
Irish Redhead Convention, County Cork
A friendly gathering for all red-haired people is held in the small seaside village of Crosshaven where redheads from all over the world take part in light hearted events. There’s live music, art exhibitions, lectures and of course the traditional Parade of Redheads through the village led by the newly crowned Redhead King and Queen.
Free, Every August
1. Jennifer, a girl with red hair, may be interested in ________.| A．Estival. | B．Quest festival. |
| C．Festa deirtlva e del Vino. | D．Irish Redhead Convention. |
| A．They offer local food. |
| B．They have fireworks. |
| C．They are free of charge. |
| D．They have music activities. |
| A．In a textbook. |
| B．In a magazine. |
| C．In a news report. |
| D．In a research paper. |
6 . Vacation Camps
Lake Idaho Camp
When: 2 weeks in July
Join our fun-filled camp on the banks of lake Idaho! You can take part in exciting water sports, including canoeing and swimming. All equipment is provided. Our highly qualified instructors lead groups for all levels, including beginners. In the evenings, we organize campfire activities for children with singing, drama, and storytelling, while adults can explore the nearby town of St. A lbans.
Cost; $400, including all your delicious healthy meals.
Everwell Forest Camp
When: 1 week in August
Teachers Mat and Alice Branson run our camp in the Everwell Forest. Open to children 8-12 years of age, the camp also offers participants the chance to try various arts and crafts, including painting, pottery, and woodwork. Places are limited to 20, so early booking is advised.
Cost: $150, including all meals.
Happy Shells Camp
When: 3 weeks in August
Happy Shells volunteer organization is looking for young people aged 15-20 to join our camp on the Florida coast. Participants will help to build protective fences around the nests of sea turtles which come to the beaches during the summer to lay their eggs. At the end of the camp, participants receive a certificate(证书) that can be used for credit on high school and a college courses.
Cost: $120 per week to cover food and hotel.
Powerhouse Boot Camp
When: 2 weeks in July or August
The name of the event could give some people the wrong idea. Participants actually stay in a hotel, not an outdoor camp. But it definitely is an intensive (集中的) course of physical training. If you want to get into shape fast, Powerhouse Boot Camp is for you.
Cost: $520 for two weeks.
1. Which camp provides a good chance to learn arts?| A．Lake Idaho Camp. | B．Everwell Forest Camp. |
| C．Happy Shells Camp. | D．Powerhouse Boot Camp. |
| A．$150. | B．$260. | C．$360. | D．$400. |
| A．Camp outside the city. | B．Take exercise in a hotel. |
| C．Sail and swim in the lake. | D．Enjoy the sun on the beach. |
Post-00s (《零零后》) is a documentary (纪录片) about
They struggle with schoolwork.
But this five-episode series, which was aired on CCTV-9 from Aug 20, is different
Post-00s was filmed over a period of 10 years, during
Such stories, which
And while we enjoy the real stories because nothing is set in advance, we also can’t help
As US writer Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “Any man’s life, told truly, is a novel.” And when it comes
8 . Hiking Trails(路线）for Families on Long Island
Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park,Oyster Bay
INFO:9 a.m.to 5 p.m.daily;$8 per carload on weekends only
＂Nearly half the 409 acres of the former estate of the W.R.Coe family and current state park arboretum(植物园）property is woodland that includes nature walks and a greenhouse,” confirmed by Brian Nearing,an officer at New York State Parks.Expect to see lots of wildlife,from foxes and squirrels to birds of prey,such as red-tailed hawks and great horned owls,a delight for kids.
Connetquot River State Park Preserve,Oakdale
INFO:8 a.m.to 4 p.m.$8 parking fee daily,631-581-1005,parks.ny.gou.
Casey,vice president of the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference,recommends this park for families because they can hike any part of the 50 miles.Along the way,hikers at Connetquot River State Park Preserve might see deer,waterfowl and ospreys(鱼鹰）。
Southampton trails
INFO:Park in museum parking lot at 377 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Tpke.,Bridge-hampton.No parking fee.
The Southampton Trail Preservation Society runs many guided trails in the Hamptons, some suitable for even small children.Behind the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton is a small field that surrounds around it and usually has butterflies and birds flying about.
Blydenburgh County Park,Hauppauge
INFO:Daun to dusk.Northern entrance is at the end of New Mill Road.No parking fee.
The east side is flat,making the walk very kid-friendly.The west side is a bit more hilly, but both have spectacular water views of the pond.On the east side is also the rowboat license that opens on Memorial Day and benches,as well as picnic tables.When you're at Blyden-burgh County Park,go in the north entrance off New Mill Road near Route 347,where the main office of the Greenbelt Trail Conference is situated.The office can provide information and maps.The start of the trails also is here.
1. Which trail charges for parking every day?| A．Southampton trails. |
| B．Blydenburgh County Park. |
| C．Connetquot River State Park Preserve. |
| D．Planting fields Arboretum State Historic Park |
| A．They include a lot of guided trails. |
| B．There are rare birds along the way. |
| C．They cover the longest hiking route. |
| D．They re specially designed for small kids. |
| A．Many hills lie on the east side. |
| B．Maps are offered at the office near the north entrance. |
| C．The trails usually start at the east entrance. |
| D．A picnic table can be available on the west side. |
9 . Indeed Machine Learning CodeSprint
July 31st - August 7th 2018
Competition starts at 9AM PDT / 4PM UTC / 8:30PM IST.
The Challenge
Indeed is the world’s No. 1 job site, serving 200 million unique visitors each month in more than 60 countries and 28 languages. What started as a job search engine has become a destination for job seekers and employers, a place where people share resumes, learn about companies and apply for jobs on any device. With the job seekers’ experience at the core of all decision-making, its culture is built around the mission, “I help people get jobs.”
Join our CodeSprint for the chance to solve a real-world machine learning problem based on the site’s data. Indeed is recruiting(招募) machine learning specialists of all levels to join our data science teams in the United States and most countries in Asia. We are looking to grow our teams with people who share our energy and enthusiasm for offering the best experience to job seekers.
Prizes
1st-10th Place: Indeed branded hoodies(连帽衫)
11th-30th Place: Indeed branded T-shirts
Rules
1. This is an individual participation competition.
2. You can code using our interface (界面), which currently supports over 40 major languages. If you are not yet familiar with our platform, check out Solve Me First to acquaint yourself with it.
3. Please refrain (克制) from discussing strategy during the competition.
4. All submissions are checked by a plagiarism (抄袭) detector. Any case of code plagiarism will disqualify both users from the competition.
5. Prizes will be awarded to those participants who have given permission to share their information with Indeed.
6. Current Indeed Employees are not qualified for prizes.
7. Please expect 6-8 weeks after the competition to receive your prizes.
For more information, visit Indeed*com
1. We can know from the passage that Indeed _____.| A．provides services for job seekers |
| B．supports over 40 languages |
| C．runs branch offices in more than 60 countries |
| D．is recruiting someone to design the plagiarism detector |
| A．It will last for one week. |
| B．It is a contest involving teamwork. |
| C．Indeed employees are encouraged to participate. |
| D．Competitors are expected to share their information with Indeed. |
10 . 
Island Lobster (龙虾) Company Open
Owners Katie and Thom Werner opened Island Lobster Company earlier this week. It’s located on Peaks Island in the space formerly occupied by Peaks Island House.
The 64-seat establishment is a trap-to-table restaurant. The Werners are serving lobsters that they’re trapped and hauled in with their own boat. You can see a copy of their menu on their website.
Coals Pizza Opens Today
Coals Pizza is scheduled to open today at 5 pm. Coals is located at 114 Preble Street in the former Portland & Rochester space. This is Coals’ only location outside of New York. They specialize in grilled pizza. You can see their full menu online.
Luke’s Lobster
The seafood spot, which will soft open for dinner on Wednesday, is a major milestone for the lobster company that first launched in Manhattan in 2009. Started by Cape Elizabeth native Luke Holden, Luke’s Lobster debuted in New York City’s East Village, and went on to make its mark in 10 cities across the U.S.— plus Japan and China.
Under Construction: Twist
A new food truck called Twist is under development Twist is a collaboration between Melissa Lombardi, a former manager at Woodford F&B and Dan Zarin, the longtime writer of the Breakfast Serial column. Twist will be serving customized ice cream and shakes made to order.
1. What is special in Island Lobster Company?| A．It serves freshly caught lobsters. | B．It is the only location outside of New York. |
| C．It is a milestone for the lobster company. | D．It serves customized ice cream and shakes |
| A．Peaks Island. | B．114 Preble Street. |
| C．Portland & Rochester space. | D．New York City's East Village. |
| A．Island Lobster Company. | B．Coals Pizza. |
| C．Luke's Lobster. | D．Twist. |
